Islamabad: Though it was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) election slogan to bring new and fresh faces to the National and Provincial assemblies, it is Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that has taken the lead in this regard.
PML-N’s youngest Member of the Punjab Assembly Sania Ashiq, 25, earns the unique distinction of being the youngest member of the assembly and she has committed herself to the uplift of women of her province.
She is one of 66 PML-N women members who have become MPAs by party’s nomination on reserved seats.
She has taken oath of her office along with other colleagues of the Assembly. Outgoing speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Mohammad Iqbal administered oath to the MPAs.
Talking to the media persons outside the Punjab Assembly building after the oath, Sania Ashiq said, “While being in the assembly, I will make sure the projects that were initiated by PML-N government for women empowerment, namely Violence Against Women Centre (WAWC) Multan, Zewar-e-Taleem, etc, must continue to serve girls and women of Pakistan.”
She said she had joined politics with a single-point agenda i.e. to expand and promote the projects for the greater public interest, particularly for the betterment of women population.
“From Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF) to other initiatives designed for women, I will continue to raise my voice and play a vital role in the Provincial Assembly to promote them,” the youngest MPA added.
Although PML-N leads with 127 seats in the assembly against PTI’s 122 seats, yet support by PML-Q and Independent members of the provincial assembly has enabled PTI to form the government in Punjab.
Sania Ashiq doesn’t consider it a big deal whether she sits on ruling or opposition benches. For her, it is more important to serve humanity in one’s position whatever it is.
She has also posted on her twitter account a printout of the oath that was given to every member of the Punjab Assembly and they read it out loudly at the time of being sworn it.
Under that image, she has written the following words:
“Recitation of these powerful words puts a heavy responsibility on one’s shoulders. I will try my best to serve the people of Punjab from this prestigious platform of Punjab Assembly & come up to the expectations of my party PML-N. May Allah Almighty help & guide me!”
With oath of her office she has joined the club of several first-timers in the National and Punjab Assembly. They include PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PML- Jamhoori Watan Party’s (JWP) Shahzain Bugti, PTI’s Zartaj Gul Wazir, Andleeb Abbas, Faisal Vawda, PML-N’s Ali Pervaiz and others.
